Dripping Wings

He felt like he was floating. He couldn't really see anything, nor hear that well. Perhaps he had fallen asleep a long time ago, or perhaps it was just a few moments ago.

He did remember a lot of pain, that now only seemed like a far distant memory. And he had this vague feeling that he should be angry about something...or perhaps he was supposed to be depressed right now...

He felt strange. And the only other thing he was able to register was something soft and warm was resting in his hand. It was a strange comfort, so he squeezed it, unable to register how hard he was squeezing.

He tried to groan a little bit, and realized that his throat was raw and swollen. Perhaps he ought to not do that again.

"He's.....ing....I'm going to...."

He couldn't hear everything. He had a strange idea that the voice was right next to him, but it could have been a thousand miles away for all he knew.

"Can't let....him....before the...."

He tried to open his eyes, seeing only a flash of crimson. Groaning, he shut his eyes closed again. He wished he'd quite tumbling, for he felt dizzy enough at the moment. There was no reason to make it worse.

He squeezed again at whatever it was in his hand. It was warm, and it seemed to send him right back to sleep again.

xxx

Yuugi took a deep breath before he opened up his eyes fully, blinking as his pupils tried to adjust to the bright white smashed against his cheek.

He was sleeping on his stomach on a bed. His head was turned to his right, and sitting in a chair next to him was none other that the Headmistress, curled up and reading a book. She felt his eyes on her and looked over, her eyes bright and clear. "Good afternoon."

"Noon," Yuugi asked. His throat didn't seem to hurt that much anymore. "How long have I been out?"

"About three days." She placed a white ribbon on her page, closed the book, and set it down on the bed to her left. "You're really lucky, you know. We almost lost you."

"Really," he asked. "How?"

"Blood loss. Not to mention that your body went in to shock. Your organs began to shut down one by one."

Yuugi was confused. "Why?"

"It was a huge trauma for you! Others who have gone through the same thing have died, not to mention be permanently crippled."

Yuugi looked at his hand, seeing burn marks on his wrist. "I still don't understand how that could cripple me. What happened?"

The Headmistress sighed. "Don't sit up, but just look to your right, Yuugi, as far back as you can."

The teen complied, looking behind him.

Hell. No.

"It can't be," he whispered. "How? I'm not even from here..."

He saw a large wing extended across what must have been five twin sized beds, the feathers stretched out for drying. He moved his shoulder blade, feeling something there that had never been there before.

"You have a thirty three foot wingspan, Yuugi."

"Oh my god," he whispered to himself. "But....why can't I get up," he asked.

She shrugged. "Go ahead and try."

Yuugi pushed against the bed with both his hands, feeling so much more weight on his back dragging him down. He cried out when a harsh pain shot through him, and he fell back to the pillow again.

"They're still to tender to move yet. It will be three to four weeks before they're strong enough to allow you movement."

"I have to stay in here for at least three weeks?"

"I'm afraid so."

Yuugi sighed defeated. He was really going to fall behind in school. "What am I," he asked.

"We don't know for sure. Perhaps you really are an Assai, but like you said, you're not from here. We have some researchers looking through the palace archives now." She paused, taking a sip of tea. "Your attackers are going before the Royal Court tomorrow. The Prince will decide what to do with them."

Yuugi was still in shock. "How is it what they did to me triggered this to happen?"

"Trauma on the body, strain, and repeated magickal attacks on your chest. It forced your wings to emerge prematurely. You're just lucky they came out all of the way. Had they not, it just might have killed you trying to force them the rest of the way." She gave him a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry this happened to you. Those four fire Gifted have been causing trouble for years now. I just whish the last straw didn't have to land on you."

Yuugi snorted. "It's not your fault. I should have stayed in my room. But I saw that strange flash of light outside, and swore that I heard someone yell...I was worried if someone was in trouble....I should have known." Hemissed the flash of emotion in the Priestess's clear blue eyes, so he wasn't able to make out what it meant.

"Well, now that you're up, there are some people who've been waiting to see you." She stood and somehow levitated herself over Yuugi's wing, then stepped gracefully back down on the stone floor.

"There is? Who?"

"Just some friends." She disappeared behind a door, and in her place stepped out two people. Yuugi heard them before he saw them.

"Yuugi? You're awake? Gosh, are you okay??"

Two heads of white and brown hair crawled under his wing between the beds, and in front of him brown and blue eyes starred back.

"Ryou! Anzu! You're here?"

"Of course were are, silly," the girl chided.

"We've been worried sick about you," Ryou replied, taking a seat in the armchair. "They say the whole compound heard your screaming a few nights ago."

Yuugi's face fell. "Oh, splendid."

Anzu looked at him filled with worry. "The whole place has been in an uproar. The Prince was even here the other day, storming around looking for the four who attacked you. All of Sekesha wants to see you."

Yuugi's face paled. "You're kidding."

Ryou shook his head. "Peasants and nobles alike have been sending you get well cards and candy and asking if you really are an Assai. The Priestess has refused to let any of that stuff in here until you can actually get up, though. She said you shouldn't have to stress over it at the moment."

Yuugi scratched behind his ear. Damn that habit. "She's right about the stressing. That's exactly what I'd do. I don't want to be a pitied national name. Or a national hero for that matter. I just want to get my schooling done. Besides, I can't be part of an extinct race. I'm a freaking drop in!"

Anzu shrugged, daring a glance at the wing she sat in front of. "Assai or not, you're still a world-wide phenomenon. You're not supposed to exist. And it's more than that, too. Somehow, the word got out of just how your wings came out. People want to see some blood shed for that. Bullying is not taken very lightly here, especially since it's so easy for some magi to go out of control. And the Goddesses do not go easy on those who go against their Law of Peace."

Yuugi asked something that had been eating at him ever since he landed in the Palace. "Your religion is so old. Do the Goddess actually give proof of their existence?"

Ryou laughed. "Of course they do! The war Goddess Ahna always appears before her army as they're lined up on the battle field. Eternity, the sun Goddess, rises in the shrines every sunrise and blesses the priestesses there. The statues of Tranquility glow whenever there is a mother near it giving birth."

Yuugi whistled. "That's amazing."

"The Goddess Kyana appeared at my father's funeral," Anzu stated. "She blessed the family with the air Gift. That's the only reason I'm here. We used to be farmers."

"Then....maybe I wasn't born with these wings," Yuugi stated. "Maybe a goddess put them there."

Both Anzu and Ryou shook their heads. "That wouldn't happen," Ryou replied. "The Assai were to sacred for them. The only thing they would do is make sure you didn't die."

That could explain how I made it, Yuugi thought. Maybe that's why I'm still alive.

"That doesn't mean that Goddesses appear often," Ryou spoke up. "Only rarely. They're main connection with us is the statues. We don't make those glow, the Goddesses do. And if the people who own a statue has defiled the goddesses name, the statue will no longer glow for them."

"Certainly a good incentive to not act up," Yuugi replied. "I just sure hope they have a good sense of humor."

"From what I've heard," Ryou replied, "one of the best."

Yuugi's eyes started to droop. He was getting tired again. Good timing, too, for the Headmistress walked back in and began to shoo out the two who had dropped by to say hello. Yuugi gave a weak smile as they said their goodbyes and left.

xxx

Yuugi woke up again, noting the lighting in the room was much dimmer than last time. The Priestess was sitting next to him again, reading once more. "Good evening," she replied without looking up.

"How long was I out this time," he asked.

"Another day."

"Ah. Better than three."

She put her ribbon in place and set her book down. "You are getting better. Your healing sessions are much shorter now, and fewer between."

"Sessions," he asked.

"We have powerful healers here, myself included. We can't let your muscles deteriorate because of a lack of use."

"Hm." Yuugi's stomach growled viciously. "I'm really hungry."

"Would you like some soup?"

He thought for a moment. "Why does it feel like I've been fed broth for a long time?"

She laughed a little. "Because aside from water, it's the only thing we can get down your throat without choking you. You've refused to wake up for us." A bowl of soup drifted her way, floating on a cloud of silver dust. "But this is a thick noodle soup. Some more substance for you. You should be able to sit up tomorrow, so you'll be able to eat this tonight."

Yuugi nodded. "That will do." He was able to marginally roll onto his side and push his head up, gratefully taking the offered bowl and drinking from it. A chunk of carrot and a noodle made it to his taste buds, and like all other food here, it was some of the best stuff he'd ever eaten.

"The trial is over," she said out of nowhere.

"The trial," Yuugi asked. His brain finally kicked in. "Oh, right, that one....how did it go?"

"Ugly."

Yuugi frowned. "That can't be good."

"People were furious when the Prince only sent them into exile."

Yuugi swallowed some more soup. "They were?"

"Of course, they did have their pendants stripped from them. And they were sent to the planet Ahna, of the war Goddess. It's a desert planet with only thieves and murderers there. They won't last long."

Yuugi tried to down the last of his food. "Do you think they deserved it?"

"They should have hanged," she snapped, not looking at him. Yuugi could sense her rage was placed elsewhere, not with him. "But perhaps death would have been too kind for them. But I can tell you, that by the time that gabble fell the statues were all glowing. The Goddesses, all of them, came down upon the four in a fury and swept them away. Instead of allowing us to fulfill their punishment, they couldn't wait to get them off this planet." She shook her head, taking Yuugi's empty bowl away before he could even try to hand it back. Her silvery-white hair glimmered in the candle light. "Get some sleep, Yuugi. You'll have to wake up tomorrow and get some exercise."

Yuugi laid back down again, switching his head. His neck was getting sore.

"Sweet dreams."

xxx

Yuugi woke up once more, but this time there was a bright light spilling in through the windows. He registered a warm hand resting in his own, and as he opened his eyes, he saw dusky hands holding his fingers and resting gently over his burn marks.

"Atemu," he asked.

The Prince had been sleeping in the armchair that was next to him, his head dropping off to his side as his chest rose and fell with his breaths. Crimson eyes blinked open at the mention of his name. Yawning, he smiled, not moving his hands from their resting spot. "Good morning, Yuugi. I wasn't expecting you up for another couple of hours."

Yuugi looked up at him curiously. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd come and say hi. My entire country is in love with you, I figured I'd better find out why." His smile was warm, but Yuugi just knew that wasn't the only reason.

"And you show up before I'm even awake? Come on, I know there's something else."

Atemu yawned again, stretching one of his legs he had curled up beneath him. "Well, you're right. There's another reason I'm here. I was told you'd be able to move today."

"Yes..."

"Well, that also means that it's time to start your physical therapy."

"Therapy," Yuugi asked. "And what does that have to do with you?"

The Prince frowned. "You're not happy to see me?"

Yuugi shook his head no. "No, of course I am! I'm just...shocked. Why would royalty pay such attention to me?"

"Yuugi, apparently you don't realize the magnitude of your situation."

"It's a little hard to grasp, yes. But that still doesn't explain it."

"Yuugi," Atemu started, "everyone in this country would love to have a set of wings. Not because of the wings themselves, but what is put behind those wings. You practically are royalty. Even if you're not really an Assai, people see you as one, and the Assai are the pride and joy of the Goddesses. There were a lot of families ignored by the goddesses when the Assai died out. To be one now is would be considered being a deity in itself. Which means that you can't even go out in public without being followed and pursued. You have to learn how to hide your wings, and that could take a while."

Yuugi sighed. Atemu was still holding his hand. "What do I do?"

"You start your therapy," the Prince replied. "And I'll be heading it."

"You," Yuugi asked. "Why?"

"You're not very observant, are you," he was asked. One dark hand was removed from Yuugi's, and tugged at something that was a pale gold. Yuugi couldn't believe his eyes.

Pale gold wings sat almost transparent in the early morning sunlight, curled up behind Prince Atemu's back. Blood red eyes danced with mirth in a smiling face. "I'm royalty, Yuugi. And the royal family did indeed descend from the Thirteenth Goddess. And all of the Goddesses had wings. Mine are a golden color, because of my faint relation to the Sun Goddess. If you're an Assai, you're practically a cousin of mine, eighty thousand times removed." The dusky hand went back to it's resting place on Yuugi's wrist.

"Why wasn't anyone ever told of the royalty having wings?"

"Because of what happened to the Assai. We couldn't risk our safety." He looked at Yuugi pointedly. "Because of how angry our deities were over your ordeal, I'm willing to be that you are an Assai, and I have a strong feeling that your parents probably fled to your world because of their wings, and tried to keep you a secret as well. It's understandable that our planet would drag you back here."

Yuugi sat up part way, curled in on himself, and scratched behind his ear. "Oh, this is going to take a lot of getting used to."

xxx